Department for Transport

May 2018 Rail Timetable Implementation Independent Inquiry

lord berkeley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the potential conflict of interest that may arise from the chair of the board of the Office of Rail and Road (ORR), Stephen Glaister, being appointed as the chair of the independent inquiry into the disruption caused by the changes in rail timetables in May; how the appointment of Mr Glaister to the inquiry relates to the ORR’s (1) responsibility to oversee the effectiveness of rail timetables, and (2) draft determination on Network Rail’s Control Period 6 which endorses the System Operator timetable process model.

baroness sugg: The Government does not consider a conflict of interest arises from the role of the Office of Rail and Road (ORR) in this inquiry, or the role of Professor Glaister, who has a distinguished record in the transport sector. ORR is the independent regulator for the rail sector. As a public body independent of government, the ORR is answerable to Parliament. It is established by statute, and operates under a legislative framework that assures its independence from both government and the rail companies that it regulates. The government has asked the ORR to conduct the inquiry within this framework, which assures the independence of this work. In undertaking this work, ORR will be supported by an expert panel of independent advisers. This will be one of the means to ensure the ORR’s own role as regulator of Network Rail and the train operating companies has been properly assessed by the Inquiry, notwithstanding its regulatory work in other areas, such as timetabling and the draft determination for Control Period 6.

Foreign and Commonwealth Office

Bahrain: Technical Assistance

lord scriven: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon on 18 June (HL8314), what has changed since the disclosure of details about the implementers and beneficiaries of UK technical assistance in Bahrain for 2013–14, 2014–15 and 2015–16 following Freedom of Information requests which prevents them disclosing similar details for 2017–18; and what impact their inability to disclose such details has on the transparency of their support for Bahrain.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: The UK has been providing a range of technical and practical assistance to the Government of Bahrain since 2012, in support of its reform programme. Technical assistance continues to support the building of effective and accountable institutions, strengthening the rule of law, and police and justice reform. As I outlined in my answer to the recent questions HL7775 and HL8315, we have a duty to maintain the confidence and confidentiality of our partners. All of our work is in line with international standards and the Government's requirements on transparency. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office has provided numerous updates on its programme work in its annual Human Rights Reports.

Najah Ahmed Yousif

lord scriven: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Ahmed of Wimbledon on 25 June (HL8518), whether have they have filed the case of Najah Ahmed Yousif under the UK Torture and Mistreatment Reporting Guidance now that they have been made aware of the case, regardless of whether other individuals go to the appropriate oversight body.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) and our Embassy in Bahrain monitor developments in the country closely. We continue to monitor the case of Najah Ahmed Yousif in line with FCO guidance.

Israel: Palestinians

baroness tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the government of Israelabout the bill currently before the Knesset that would impose afive-year prison term for anyone filming or distributing footage on social media that documents confrontations between Israeli soldiers and Palestinians.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: ​We have not raised this issue with the Israeli authorities but continue to follow closely developments regarding the proposed legislation.

Jerusalem: Religious Buildings

baroness tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government what action they intend to take, if any, to ensure that the status of religious properties in the old city of Jerusalemis maintained.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: We continue to encourage Israel, the Palestinian Authority and Jordan to do all they can to work together to avoid tensions and continue to uphold the status quo at the holy sites in Jerusalem. We value Jordan's important role as custodian of the holy sites in Jerusalem.

Israel: Bedouin

baroness tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byLord Ahmad of Wimbledon on 14 June (HL8327), what action they intend to take to prevent forcible transfers of population.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: The Minister for the Middle East and North Africa reiterated the UK’s concerns about the demolition of Khan al-Ahmar, which the UN has said could constitute forcible transfer, when he met the Israeli Ambassador to the UK on Wednesday 20 June.

Afghanistan: Visits Abroad

lord bassam of brighton: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether consideration was given to sending a Minister of State to visit Afghanistan this month as an alternative to the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs.

lord bassam of brighton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what urgent business the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs discussed with the government of Afghanistan during his recent visit to Afghanistan.

lord bassam of brighton: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs sought permission from the Prime Minister before embarking for Afghanistan on his recent visit.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: The former Foreign Secretary visited Afghanistan on 25 June ahead of a National Security Council discussion. Following the recent ceasefires in Afghanistan, and with elections due later this year, this was a timely opportunity to take stock of progress and the UK's supportive role in providing peace and stability to Afghanistan. Further details about the visit are set out in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office press release dated 25 June. I attach a copy.



Afghanistan Press Release dated 25 June 2018
(PDF Document, 62.71 KB)

Syria: Armed Conflict

lord hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their response to the report on the latest developments in Afrin District, published on15 June by the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: We continue to closely follow the situation in Afrin, and wider north-western Syria. UK-funded partners including UN OCHA and other UN agencies have been working to deliver assistance to those displaced from Afrin, and those in need in Afrin, where access allows. This includes food, water, sanitation support, resupplying damaged health facilities, and education on the risks of mines. We regularly discuss issues of concern with the Turkish government, including the protection of civilians and the need to facilitate access for life-saving humanitarian aid in accordance with international humanitarian law.

Burma: Crimes against Humanity

lord alton of liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the recommendations in the report by Amnesty InternationalWe Will Destroy Everything: Military Responsibility for Crimes against Humanity in Rakhine State, Myanmar, published in June; whether they intend to take action in response to those recommendations; and if so, what.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: Amnesty’s detailed report provides further evidence of horrific human rights violations in Rakhine. The UK agrees with, and has already taken action on, a number of Amnesty’s recommendations. Through the EU, the UK has imposed targeted sanctions on seven senior members of the Burmese military, including six of those named in Amnesty’s report. The UK has been clear that UN Security Council attention should remain on the crisis and has been instrumental in securing regular meetings on the situation. The UK will consider, with international partners, further recommendations the report makes regarding bilateral and multilateral action.

Burma: Crimes against Humanity

lord alton of liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they intend to implement the recommendation of Amnesty International in its reportWe Will Destroy Everything: Military Responsibility for Crimes against Humanity in Rakhine State, Myanmar, published in June, that they work to get agreement in the United Nations Human Rights Council to establish new international accountability mechanism to hold to account those responsible for crimes against humanity in Burma.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: ​The UK co-sponsored the UN Human Rights Council resolution which set up a UN Fact Finding Mission on human rights abuses in Burma, and subsequent resolutions that gave it the mandate and resources to collect, preserve and share evidence. Following the Special Rapporteur's recommendations, the Government is discussing with international partners how to support evidence-collecting efforts, especially in relation to sexual violence. Pressure from the UN Security Council on accountability helped persuade Burma to announce plans for a Commission of Inquiry into violence in Rakhine State. We continue to emphasise that we need an accountability mechanism which is credible, transparent and impartial, and which can hold to account the perpetrators of atrocities.

Turkey: Detainees

lord balfe: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answers byLord Ahmad of Wimbledon on 25 June (HL8548 and HL8549), and further to the reply byLord Ahmad of Wimbledon on 27 June (HL Deb, col 182), what criteria they use when determining which individual cases of detention in Turkey to make representations about; and how many individuals have had representations made on their behalf so far this year.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: ​When deciding which specific detention cases to raise with the Turkish authorities we examine each on a case by case basis, noting the nature of the charge and length of detention. This year we have raised several cases, mainly concerning human rights defenders and journalists. We will continue to engage with the Turkish authorities on these important human rights concerns.

USA: UN Human Rights Council

the marquess of lothian: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they made any representations to the government of the United States to seek to dissuade it from withdrawing from the UN Human Rights Council; and whether the Prime Minister intends to raise this issue during the visit to the UK by the President of the United States on 13 July.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: The United States’ decision to withdraw from the Human Rights Council is regrettable. In regular consultations with the United States, we have consistently stressed the value of the Council as the best tool the international community has to address human rights violations and abuses. The UK remains steadfast in its support for the Council and is committed to working to strengthen the Council from within. We will continue to work with the United States on human rights issues outside the Council, including at the UN General Assembly and Security Council. We are looking forward to the visit by the President of the United States on 13 July. It is right that we use the opportunity of President Trump’s visit to discuss a range of issues of shared interest.

Afghanistan: Military Aid

the marquess of lothian: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the Foreign Secretary discussed an increase in British troop numbers to Afghanistan during his visit to Kabul on 25 June.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: The former Foreign Secretary visited Afghanistan on 25 June ahead of a National Security Council discussion. Following the recent ceasefires in Afghanistan, and with elections due later this year, this was a timely opportunity to take stock of progress and the UK's supportive role in providing peace and stability to Afghanistan. Further details about the visit are set out in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office press release dated 25 June. I attach a copy.



Afghanistan Press Release dated 25 June 2018
(PDF Document, 62.71 KB)

Burma: Refugees

baroness cox: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they will make to the governments ofMyanmar and of Malaysia in the event of the forced repatriation of refugees from Malaysia to Chin State,Myanmar.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: The UN refugee agency (UNHCR) announced on 13 June 2018 that it will begin individual assessments of Chin refugees in Malaysia and other countries to determine whether they continue to have international protection needs. The UK Government does not currently assess that Chin refugees in Malaysia and other countries are at risk of forcible return to Burma and will continue to monitor the situation.

Department of Health and Social Care

Mental Health Services: Children

lord boateng: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the report by the Association of Child PsychotherapistsSilent Catastrophe: responding to the danger signs of children and young people's mental health services in troublepublished in June, and its findings in relation to the adequacy of services for children at risk of suicide; andwhether they will review the specialist services available to such children.

lord o'shaughnessy: The Department has noted the report and will examine it with interest.Suicide prevention is a priority for this Government which is why we updated the National Suicide Prevention Strategy, Preventing suicide in England: Third progress report of the cross-government outcomes strategy to save lives, last year to strengthen its key areas for action. The Strategy highlights that addressing suicide prevention in children and young people requires tailored approaches to meeting their mental health needs. A copy of the Strategy is attached.The Government is investing record levels to transform mental health services which includes £1.4 billion to improve access to children and young people’s mental health services. We are investing an additional £300 million to deliver the proposals set out in the joint health and education Transforming Children and Young People’s Mental Health Provision: a Green Paper. A copy of the Green Paper is attached. The Green Paper builds on the work of the report, Future in Mind, to address the provision of mental health services for children and young people, including the provision of specialist services.The Department also supports the work of the National Confidential Inquiry into Suicide and Homicide by People with Mental Illness, which published research into suicide by children and young people, in 2017.The Department continues to review and wide range of research to inform evidence-based policy development on mental health.



Preventing suicide in England
(PDF Document, 725.09 KB)




Transforming CYP MHP Green Paper
(PDF Document, 1.14 MB)

Nutrition

baroness greengross: To ask Her Majesty's Government what guidance and advice they provide for informal carers of patients with nutritional problems and eating difficulties.

lord o'shaughnessy: The Government remains committed to support informal carers to provide care for those they care for.While the Department does not provide specific guidance and advice for carers of those they care for with nutritional problems and eating difficulties, the Care Act 2014 requires that where an adult or carer appears to have care and support needs the local authority must carry out a care assessment. It must then decide if the person has eligible needs by considering the outcomes the person wants to achieve, what needs they have, and how these impact on their wellbeing.Where a person is assessed as having eligible care and support needs, these must be met by their local authority. For those who do not meet the eligibility criteria, local authorities should signpost people to relevant services. This includes guidance and advice for informal carers of patients with nutritional problems.One of the eligibility determinations in the Care Act 2014 for care and support is managing and maintaining nutrition. In addition, there are other sources of information carers can access, such as advice from healthcare professionals. The nutrition company Nutricia also produces information for carers to help provide better support for them around nutritional problems and eating difficulties. The leaflets are available free online as downloads from Carers UK.

Prescription Drugs: Misuse

lord hunt of kings heath: To ask Her Majesty's Government whetherthey will ensure the timely publication of the agenda, papers and minutes of the Public Health England Expert Group on Prescribed Drug Dependence.

lord hunt of kings heath: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the Public Health England Expert Group on Prescribed Drug Dependence will accept as evidence the individual testimonies of patients.

lord o'shaughnessy: Public Health England (PHE) has been commissioned to undertake a public health evidence review of available data and published evidence on the problems associated with dependence, and the short term discontinuation or longer term withdrawal symptoms, associated with prescribed medicines. PHE is aware of the importance and relevance of the experience of patients in understanding the issues. The review will include a call for papers which specifically identifies published accounts of the patients’ experiences, and this material will be specifically and deliberately focused on in the review. This process is distinct from a public inquiry, which would include individual testimony. PHE is committed to publishing the agenda, papers and minutes of meetings of the expert reference group and the first set of these documents will be available during July 2018.

Drugs: Misuse

lord hunt of kings heath: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessmentthey have made of the extent to which the commissioning guidance for the NHS and local government on how to respond to the needs of people who are addicted to prescription and over the counter medicines, published by Public Health England in June 2013, has been implemented.

lord hunt of kings heath: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessmentthey have made of the extent to which support is available in every area for people with a dependency on prescription or over the counter medicines as set out in the guidance published by Public Health England in June 2013.

lord o'shaughnessy: No assessment has been made of the extent to which the commissioning guidance has been implemented. Responding to the needs of people who are addicted to prescription and over the counter medicines is the responsibility of local authorities and the National Health Service in each area. Local authority and clinical commissioning group commissioners should work together to ensure that there are appropriate services and interventions available to meet the needs of their local populations.Public Health England supports local commissioners to better understand and address local need, by publishing guidance and supplying information about people in touch with specialist substance misuse services who are being treated for addiction to medicines.People who have developed problems with prescription and over the counter medicines should seek help from their general practitioner (GP) in the first instance. Specialist advice for GPs and support for patients with complex and severe problems is available from substance misuse services in each local authority across the country.

Medicine: Research

lord roberts of llandudno: To ask Her Majesty's Government how they will protect joint projects with EU member states into disabilities and diseases if the UK leaves the EU.

lord o'shaughnessy: We want to continue to cooperate closely with our European partners to the benefit of all citizens and patients in the United Kingdom and across the European Union. As part of this, we are determined to continue working closely with health ministers across the EU and the European Commission and Parliament on a wide variety of issues including disabilities and diseases. Whilst we cannot pre-empt the negotiations, nor can we disadvantage the UK’s position in these negotiations by giving inappropriate guarantees at this time, the Government will continue to seek the best possible deal for the UK.

Fibromyalgia

lord roberts of llandudno: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to progress the diagnosis and treatment of fibromyalgia.

lord o'shaughnessy: Diagnosing fibromyalgia can be difficult as there is no specific diagnostic test that can be used, and the symptoms can vary from person to person. Diagnosis is usually made by taking a medical history, checking symptoms and carrying out a physical examination. Blood tests, x-rays and other scans may be used to rule out medical conditions with similar symptoms to fibromyalgia.The Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) curriculum includes training in musculoskeletal conditions, and as such, GP training can include fibromyalgia. A key component of a trainee GP’s final assessment, alongside the Clinical Skills Assessment and Workplace Based Assessment, is the applied knowledge test (AKT). The AKT is a summative assessment of the knowledge base that underpins independent general practice in the United Kingdom within the context of the NHS. The content guide for the RCGP, which serves to prepare trainees for the test, includes a specific reference to a required knowledge of fibromyalgia. The Applied Knowledge Test Content Guide is attached.A range of support exists to help GPs identify the signs and symptoms of fibromyalgia in primary care. This includes an e-learning course developed by the RCGP and Arthritis Research UK on musculoskeletal care, including fibromyalgia, and a medical guide on diagnosis and treatment developed by the Fibromyalgia Association UK (FMUK) for health professionals. Information for the public can be found on the NHS Choices website and is also available in an online patient information guide produced by FMUK. The Fibromyalgia Guidance for Health Professionals is attached.Although there is no cure for fibromyalgia, some treatments can ease symptoms and support improved quality of life for patients. The treatments offered will depend on the severity of a patient’s condition, but may include: pharmacological pain relief; physiotherapy; dietary and exercise advice; counselling or cognitive behavioural therapy; and self-management programmes which aim to give patients the skills and confidence to manage their conditions more effectively. There are also a number of National Health Service trusts that offer specialist fibromyalgia clinics, such as the Royal National Hospital for Rheumatic Diseases in Bath, which patients can access on referral from the clinician responsible for their care. 



Fibromyalgia Guidance for Health Professionals
(PDF Document, 1.09 MB)




Applied Knowledge Test Content Guide
(PDF Document, 411.24 KB)

Social Services: Migrant Workers

lord cooper of windrush: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many workers from(1) other EU countries, and(2) non-EU countries were employed in the UK's adult social care workforce in each of the last five years.

lord o'shaughnessy: Skills for Care, the workforce development organisation for social care, collects data on the number of adult social care workers by nationality in England. The number of adult social care workers from within the European Economic Area (EEA) and the non-EEA in the last five years is set out in the following table. 2012/132013/142014/152015/162016/17Total workers1,265,0001,290,0001,325,0001,335,0001,340,000British1,043,0001,070,0001,101,0001,110,0001,118,000EEA (non-British)62,00070,00077,00087,00095,000Non-EEA160,000150,000147,000138,000127,000 Source: Skills for Care’s adult social care workforce estimates 2012/13 to 2016/17.

NHS: Waiting Lists

lord empey: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have madeof the variable health waiting times across the UK.

lord o'shaughnessy: Health is a devolved matter within the United Kingdom and consequently the access standards in each country reflect the specific health requirements of the devolved administrations. Despite the differences between the nations of the UK, compared to the rest of the world, the UK has amongst the most stretching healthcare access standards and the greatest levels of public visibility of performance against these measures.

Aortic Aneurysm

baroness walmsley: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have conducted an impact assessment of the draft NICE Guidelines on Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm, including the impact (1) on patients over 65 years old who may be medically unsuitable for open surgical repair, and (2) of removing certain treatment options when clinical professionals have indicated that patients require suchtreatment.

baroness walmsley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the availability to UK patients of fenestrated endografts, developed in the UK, manufactured in Scotland and used around the world, if the current draft NICE guidelines on Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm are implemented.

lord o'shaughnessy: We have made no such assessments. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) is an independent body and has not yet published final guidance on the diagnosis and management of abdominal aortic aneurysm. NICE has recently consulted on its draft guideline and will take the comments it has received in response to the consultation fully into account in finalising its recommendations.

Department for International Development

Palestinians: Children

baroness tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the long-term psychological effects of physical and mental trauma for children living in Gaza and the West Bank.

lord bates: According to UN Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs April 2018 estimates, over 1,100 people may have severe mental health problems and some 4,500 may have mild to moderate problems requiring mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS) in Gaza. In April MHPSS partners identified at least 599 children needing psychosocial support in Gaza. DFID does not currently hold data on psychological needs in the West Bank.

Department for Education

Pupils: Absenteeism

lord ouseley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what actionthey intend to take to identify the number of children who miss school each year; and what assessment they have made of the social and economic costs of that issue.

lord agnew of oulton: The total number of absences from school is collected termly via the school census and published regularly via the ‘Pupil absence in Schools in England’ National Statistics series. Figures for the 2016/17 academic year can be found in the attached “Pupil absence in schools in England: 2016 to 2017” National Statistics release. The overall absence rate for state-funded primary, secondary and special schools was 4.7% in 2016/17, an increase from 4.6% in the previous academic year, but has followed a generally downward trend since 2006/07 when it was 6.5%. Information on the link between absence and attainment at key stages 2 (KS2) and 4 (KS4) was published in March 2016 in the attached “Absence and attainment at key stages 2 and 4: 2013 to 2014” research report. The analysis showed that when taking prior attainment and pupil characteristics into account, for each KS2 and KS4 measure, overall absence had a statistically significant negative link to attainment. For instance, every extra day missed was associated with a lower attainment outcome. The attached table shows overall absence rates since 2010.  



HL8924_Overall_Absence_Rates
(Word Document, 23.71 KB)




link-between-absence-and-attainment-at-KS2-and-KS4
(PDF Document, 1.55 MB)




SFR18_2018_absence_text
(PDF Document, 828.61 KB)

Ministry of Justice

Prisoners: Females

baroness fall: To ask Her Majesty's Government what percentage of women in (1) HMP Askham Grange, (2) HMP Bronzefield, (3) HMP Downview, (4) HMP Drake Hall, (5) HMP East Sutton Park, (6) HMP Eastwood Park, (7) HMP Foston Hall, (8) HMP Low Newton, (9) HMP New Hall, (10) HMP Send, and (11) HMP Styal, are there for non-violent offences; and in each prison what percentage of those women are mothers of children under the age of 18.

baroness fall: To ask Her Majesty's Government of the women in(1) HMP Askham Grange, (2) HMP Bronzefield, (3) HMP Downview, (4) HMP Drake Hall, (5) HMP East Sutton Park, (6) HMP Eastwood Park, (7) HMP Foston Hall, (8) HMP Low Newton, (9) HMP New Hall, (10) HMP Send, and (11) HMP Styal, for non-violent offences, (a) how many are mothers to children under the age of 18, (b) what is the average length of their prison sentences, and (c) what percentage of those women are re-offenders.

baroness fall: To ask Her Majesty's Government what percentage ofchildren aged under 18 whose mothers are imprisoned in (1) HMP Askham Grange, (2) HMP Bronzefield, (3) HMP Downview, (4) HMP Drake Hall, (5) HMP East Sutton Park, (6) HMP Eastwood Park, (7) HMP Foston Hall, (8) HMP Low Newton, (9) HMP New Hall, (10) HMP Send, and (11) HMP Styal, are (a) taken into care, and (b) looked after by close relatives.

lord keen of elie: The Government recognises that there is an impact on families and children when a woman is involved in the criminal justice system and that children of imprisoned mothers may be particularly affected by a custodial sentence. We have commissioned Lord Farmer to continue his work to enable us to understand what specific measures we can take to help women strengthen family ties, especially with their children, whilst serving sentences in the community, in custody and after they are released. The number of women in each establishment serving sentences for non-violent offences and the average length of those sentences is set out in table one below. The percentage of women in each establishment recorded as having children is set out in the table two below. The Ministry of Justice does not have this information broken down by type of offence. The Ministry of Justice does not hold data on the age or the arrangements made for the care of dependent children of women serving custodial sentences. The percentage of women in prison for non-violent offences who are also re-offenders can only be obtained at disproportionate cost. Table 1: Female prison population at selected establishments by non-violent offences and average sentence length as at 31 March 2018.Establishment Non-violent offencesAverage (mean) sentence length (days) for non-violent offencesTotal populationNumber% Askham Grange1188169%1411Bronzefield51740779%879Downview32524876%1596Drake Hall31923674%1658East Sutton Park876676%1407Eastwood Park36128378%821Foston Hall31722270%1006Low Newton32222169%1397New Hall37325869%1111Send27015056%1896Styal44931570%1026  NoteTotal population figures include women serving custodial sentences, those held on remand, non-criminals and fine defaulters.Sentence length figures do not include those held on remand, non-criminals and fine defaulters. Table 2: Percentage of women recorded as having children by establishment, 26 June 2018EstablishmentPercentage have childrenAskham Grange77%Bronzefield52%Downview52%Drake Hall68%East Sutton Park62%Eastwood Park71%Foston Hall63%Low Newton66%New Hall68%Peterborough (female)60%Send55%Styal67% Notes:The number of children field is not a mandatory field within the NOMIS application and about 400 women across these establishments have no entry on the system.There is no functionality to record the age of children on NOMIS.There are likely to be cases where, when entered onto the system, a child was under the age of 18 but has since passed this milestone and is now classed as an adult. The figures relate to all women, not just those in prison for non-violent offences.

Coroners

lord morris of aberavon: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they intend to consult the Chief Coroner about extending the remit of coroners to cover unusual numbers of deaths certified by individual GPs or in specific medical establishments.

lord keen of elie: There are no plans to extend the coroner’s remit in this way. By April 2019 the Government is planning to introduce a system of medical examiners in England who will review the certification of deaths not referred to the coroner. They will also report matters of a clinical governance nature which will support local learning and help to determine changes to practice and procedures.

Treasury

Customs

lord whitty: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they are making for customs arrangements after Brexit; and what discussions they have had with (1) port users, and (2) port operators in (a) the UK, and (b) mainland Europe, on the possible impact of Brexit.

lord bates: The Government has been clear that as we leave the European Union, we will also leave the EU Customs Union. In assessing the options for the UK’s future outside the Customs Union, the Government is guided by what delivers the greatest economic advantage to the UK, and by its strategic objectives:Ensuring UK-EU trade is as frictionless as possible;Avoiding a ‘hard border’ between Ireland and Northern Ireland; andEstablishing an independent international trade policy. On 6th July 2018, the Government released a statement confirming it will publish a White Paper which will set out proposals for the future relationship with the EU. This includes proposals that the UK and the EU would work together on the phased introduction of a new Facilitated Customs Arrangement that would remove the need for customs checks and controls between the UK and the EU as if a combined customs territory. The precise nature of the new customs arrangement is subject to negotiations with the EU HMRC and other departments working with the Border Delivery Group are engaging port users and operators, domestically and at key EU ports, to understand what the synergies and constraints are in different locations, and to ensure locations are operationally ready to meet the requirements of future customs arrangements with the EU.

Banks: Rural Areas

lord taylor of warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of bank branch closures in rural areas on access to financial services, in the light of the low levels of mobile banking use in rural areas.

lord bates: The Treasury does not make assessments of branch closures, or alternative methods of banking, as these are commercial matters for banks. However, Government believes it is important the impact of branch closures on communities must be understood, considered and mitigated where possible. The Government supports the industry’s Access to Banking Standard which commits banks to ensure personal and business customers are better informed about branch closures and the reasons for them closing. It also helps customers to understand the options they have locally to continue to access banking services, including specialist assistance for customers who need more help. The Access to Banking Standard is monitored and enforced by the independent Lending Standards Board. Government also considers it important that all customers, wherever they live and especially those who are vulnerable, can still access over the counter services. That is why the Government supports the Post Office’s Banking Framework Agreement, which enables 99% of banks’ personal and 95% of banks’ business customers to withdraw cash, deposit cash and cheques, and make balance enquiries at a Post Office counter via its network of 11,600 branches. The Government is committed to ensuring that communities across the UK are fully aware of the important services that remain available to them at their local Post Office, even if their bank branch is closed. The Post Office and UK Finance have committed to work together to raise public awareness of the banking services available at the Post Office for individuals and SMEs, which the Government welcomes.

Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government

Right to Buy Scheme

lord beecham: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many social housing properties have been sold under the Right-to-Buy Scheme since 2010; and how many of those sold have been replaced by (1) local authorities, and (2) housing associations.

lord bourne of aberystwyth: There have been 93,859 Right-to-Buy sales since 2010, of which 72,042 sales have been local authority properties. In the same time period 128,050 new homes have been provided for social rent.In 2012 the Government made changes to the Right to Buy scheme, increasing the maximum discount caps. An estimate of the expected sales without these increases to the discount cap had been calculated for the purposes of calculating the local authorities’ self-financing payments. Any Right to Buy sales above these projections are considered ‘additional’ and are subject to the one-for-one additions policy, which is a commitment to provide dwelling at affordable or social rent for each additional Right to Buy dwelling sold.Under the Right to Buy one-for-one replacement policy, local authorities have three years from receiving receipts arising from additional Right to Buy sales to incur a specified level of expenditure on one-for-one replacement. If a local authority does not incur this level of this expenditure, a proportion of the receipt is transferred to Homes England (HE) or the Greater London authority (GLA), who use these recycled Right to Buy receipts to deliver starts and acquisitions.As part of the one-for-one Right-to-Buy replacement commitment Local Authorities have delivered 16,012 replacements and recycled receipts used by HE and the GLA has delivered 1,899 replacements.

Temporary Accommodation: Children

lord ouseley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what measures are being introduced to reduce the number of children in bed and breakfast, and hotel temporary accommodation.

lord bourne of aberystwyth: The Government has been clear that in normal circumstances the long term use of bed and breakfast accommodation for families with children is inappropriate and if for longer than 6 weeks - unlawful.There are some councils who are successfully reducing the number and length of time families are spending in B&B accommodation and the numbers of children in temporary accommodation; we expect areas in similar situations to follow their example.Our new Homelessness Advice and Support Team, drawn from local authorities and the homelessness sector, are providing support to help authorities to end the placement of families in B&B accommodation for more than 6 weeks. The number of families in B&B has shown a reduction over the last published quarter, from Sept 2017 to Dec 2017. The total number of households in B&B is down 11 per cent; households with dependent children in B&B is down 24 per cent; and households with dependent children in B&B over 6 weeks is down 21 per cent.

Social Rented Housing: Rents

lord whitty: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many households in the social rented sector in England in 2010 were paying (1) social rents, (2) affordable rent, (3) market rent, and (4) other terms; and how many were paying each in the last year for which figures are available.

lord bourne of aberystwyth: The Department does not hold information on the number of social tenant households split by social and affordable rent. In England the English Housing Survey estimates the total number of households in the social rented sector as 3.9 million in 2017/18.The Department holds data on the amount of stock owned by Local Authorities broken down by Social Rent and Affordable Rent, this information has been provided in table1 (attached)Data on Private Registered Provider owned stock is collected by Homes England. The number of Private Registered Provider stock is split by all social stock and units for affordable rent, this information has been provided in table 2 (attached). 



LA and PRP stock breakdown
(Excel SpreadSheet, 15.67 KB)

Domestic Violence: Immigrants

baroness lister of burtersett: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the number of domestic abuse victims who are unable to access refuge services because they have no recourse to public funds.

lord bourne of aberystwyth: The Department does not centrally hold the number of victims of domestic abuse who are unable to access refuge services in the UK.The provision of refuge is a devolved matter. We are carrying out a review of how domestic abuse services are delivered locally across England. To inform our review we have commissioned an audit - being run by Ipsos MORI – which will give us a complete picture of domestic abuse provision across England for all victims, enabling us to assess what impact services are having and to identify any gaps in provision. Thereafter we will make decisions on the future arrangements for domestic abuse services.The Destitute Domestic Violence (DDV) concession lifts the no recourse to public funds condition for eligible individuals, granting a period of three months’ leave outside the immigration rules and the ability to apply for access to public funds from DWP, which may be used to help fund alternative accommodation away from their abuser. Government also part funds Women’s Aid to run ‘Routes to Support’ (formerly UK Refuges Online), which provides support to victims who need to access refuges and provides detailed monitoring and analysis of the availability of bed spaces and other services. The funding also supports the ‘No Woman Turned Away project’, which offers caseworker support to victims who have faced difficulties accessing a refuge, including victims with no recourse to public funds.Government has consulted on what more can be done to protect domestic abuse victims with no recourse to public funds through the Domestic Abuse Bill, which closed on 31 May. We are currently analysing the 3,200 plus responses received and will carefully consider what future courses of action are necessary.

Housing: Construction

lord taylor of warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to facilitate the creation of new homes; and whether they are on track to meet the target of building 300,000 new homes this year.

lord bourne of aberystwyth: The Government is committed to building more of the right homes in the right places and has set out an ambitious package of reform to fix the broken housing market. These include planning reforms to ensure more land is available for housing and £44 billion of financial support over the next five years to boost delivery of new housing and unblock barriers to more housebuilding. The Housing White Paper and the package of announcements at Autumn Budget puts the Government on track to create, fund and drive a housing market that delivers 300,000 homes a year on average by the middle of the next decade.

Fire Prevention

lord watson of invergowrie: To ask Her Majesty's Government what action they are taking to ensure that cable standards are strengthened to improve their ability to react to fire, in order to improve public safety in buildings.

lord bourne of aberystwyth: The independent review of building regulations and fire safety, which recently reported, made a number of recommendations about the testing and labelling of products with safety implications. The Government is considering its response to the recommendations. As part of that process, the Government will review evidence related to the classification of electrical cabling.

Community Housing Fund

lord shipley: To ask Her Majesty's Government when they will publish the funding prospectuses for the next round of the Community Housing Fund announced in November 2017; and whether, in the light of the delay to their publication, theyintend to extend the funding beyond 2018–19.

lord bourne of aberystwyth: A new Homes England programme to deliver the Community Housing Fund was launched on 2 July. Community groups and local authorities in all parts of England outside London are now able to apply for capital and revenue funding to bring community-led housing schemes forward. Homes England have published a prospectus on their website (attached) at www.gov.uk/topic/housing/funding-programmes and a copy will be placed in the library of the House.Through this fund, housing will be delivered where the mainstream market is unable to deliver. The housing it helps provide will be tailored to meet specific local needs and will remain locally affordable in perpetuity. It will help sustain local communities and local economies and help raise the bar in design and construction standards. Now that it is launched, it will unlock a pipeline of thousands of new homes and help this innovative sector grow to make a substantial additional contribution to housing supply. A similar programme is being developed for London – delivered by the Greater London Authority – and an announcement on that will be made later this yearThe Community Housing Fund is currently funded over the remainder of the current spending review period ending in March 2020.  



Prospectus
(PDF Document, 570.29 KB)

Ministry of Defence

WPS Chiefs of Defence Staff Network

baroness anelay of st johns: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the remarks byBaroness Goldie on 26 June, relating to the Chiefs of Defence Staff (ChoDS) Network and the promotion and integration of gender perspectives in the armed forces, stating that 10 NATO members, including the UK, are members of the ChoDS Network (HL Deb, col 156), which members of NATO are not yet members of the ChoDS Network; and what discussions they have had with those countries to ascertain their reasons for deciding not to join thatNetwork.

earl howe: Since launching the Chief of Defence Staff (CHODS) network in November 2017, seven NATO members (Canada, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, the UK and the USA) have joined and three further members (Belgium, Estonia and Germany) have expressed an interest in joining. This is in addition to the 20 non-NATO countries who are also members.Conversations are on-going with the remaining NATO members and, as the network matures, we anticipate more will join. The Vice Chief of Defence Staff, General Sir Gordon Messenger, will host the first meeting of the CHODS network in the autumn of 2018, ahead of Canada taking the chairmanship of the network in 2019.

Department for Work and Pensions

Social Security Benefits: Blood Diseases

lord boateng: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the extent to which Department for Work and Pensions disability assessors are qualified to make judgements in relation to people living with thalassaemia and sickle cell disease.

baroness buscombe: All Healthcare Professionals carrying out assessments are medically qualified and highly-trained practitioners in their own field. They are subject to a rigorous recruitment process followed by a comprehensive training programme in disability assessment. The assessment is not a medical assessment requiring the Healthcare Professional to diagnose a condition and recommend treatment options. The focus is on ensuring Healthcare Professionals are experts in disability analysis with knowledge of the likely functional effects of a wide range of health conditions. While preparing to undertake an assessment, Healthcare Professionals can access a wide range of clinical resources to research any medical conditions that they are unfamiliar with. In addition, they read in detail any further evidence that has been supplied by the claimant’s GP or specialist clinical team.

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Marine Protected Areas

lord birt: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the total area of UK waters classified as no take zones.

lord gardiner of kimble: There are three no take zones in UK waters; Lundy, Lamlash Bay and Flamborough Head, however we do not hold data on their total area. Our Marine Protected Area network currently includes 299 sites covering a total area of 80,742 square miles. Sustainable marine industries are allowed to operate in these sites, but only if they do not damage the protected features. We are currently consulting on 41 new Marine Conservation Zones. As part of this consultation we are also seeking views on whether in future we should establish Highly Protected Marine Areas - these are areas where most or all human activities would not be permitted, and could include no take zones.

Pest Control

lord whitty: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions ministers have had with organisations promoting non-chemical pest control; and what assessment they have made of progress made in developing forms of non-chemical pest control.

lord gardiner of kimble: Ministers have met with a range of organisations to discuss all aspects of the development of farming policy. This includes organisations that promote non-chemical pest control such as organic farming. “A Green Future”, the Government’s 25 year plan to improve the environment, sets out our plans to protect crops while reducing the environmental impact of pesticides by making Integrated Pest Management (IPM) central to our approach. The key principle of IPM is maximising the use of non-chemical options for pest control. Sustainable biological, physical and other non-chemical methods must be preferred to chemical methods if they provide satisfactory pest control. Much good work is already taking place to research, develop and promote means to move away from pesticides. This includes: plant breeding for pest-resistant varieties; the use of natural predators; the development of biopesticides; and the use of a variety of cultural methods to reduce pest pressures. We are considering what progress has been made with the development and adoption of non-chemical pest control and what more can be done to overcome barriers to adoption.

Water Supply: South East

lord lee of trafford: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the adequacy of reservoir levels in the Thames Valley and the South East; and what is the likelihood of water restrictions later this year.

lord gardiner of kimble: All reservoir levels in the Thames Valley and the south east are currently normal or higher when compared to our analysis of their historic levels for the time of year.   Water companies in the south east have reported back that despite the sharp increase in demand due to the hot weather they have sufficient water resources in their reservoirs and ground water sources. There is enough water for companies to maintain supplies in the south east without customer restrictions this summer if water resources are managed properly.

Rural Payments Agency: Standards

baroness mcintosh of pickering: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the performance of the Rural Payments Agency over the last three years.

lord gardiner of kimble: The Rural Payments Agency (RPA) administers over 40 schemes and its responsibilities include running cattle tracing services, carrying out inspections and making Common Agricultural Policy payments worth over £2 billion each year. It reports on performance against agreed targets in its Annual Report and Accounts which are available on the gov.uk website. The implementation of the Basic Payment Scheme in 2015 posed significant challenges for the RPA in respect of delivering new policy requirements, new processes and new information technology. In 2016 payment performance improved and this was sustained in 2017, along with increased payment accuracy as the work to stabilise previous years’ data progressed. I do however recognise that the overall customer service experience has not been good enough and I would expect the RPA to deliver further improvements during 2018. The RPA has continued to deliver a strong performance in the other schemes it administers over this period.

Fracking

baroness mcintosh of pickering: To ask Her Majesty's Government how they intend to ensure that waste water from fracking is disposed of safely; and what is their policy towards (1) releasing waste water after treatment into a water course, and (2) injecting waste water back into the fracking well.

lord gardiner of kimble: The Government supports strong regulatory controls to ensure that fracking is carried out safely. Environmental permits issued by the Environment Agency (EA) set legally binding conditions to ensure compliance with requirements for environmental protection. Hydraulic fracturing fluid that returns to the surface, known as flowback fluid, can be reused and recycled onsite if it meets environmental standards. Flowback fluid that cannot be recycled will become waste, and must be taken offsite for treatment at appropriately licensed waste water treatment facilities.   Waste water treatment facilities must have the correct environmental permits in place to receive waste flowback fluid, and must meet strict environmental standards for any discharge into receiving waters. This is similar to any other industrial effluent. The EA does not allow reinjection of waste water back into a fracking well for disposal purposes.

Tree Planting

baroness jones of whitchurch: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure the number of trees planted annually will meet their target of 11 million trees by 2020, in the light of the Committee on Climate Change report of 28 June.

lord gardiner of kimble: The Government is confident its commitment to plant 11 million trees during this Parliament will be met. Last year we piloted changes to the Woodland Carbon Fund and Woodland Creation Planning Grant, which have been successful in encouraging greater uptake of these schemes. We have therefore recently made these changes permanent. We continue to actively engage with the sector to promote uptake of available schemes.

Home Office

Immigration: Windrush Generation

baroness armstrong of hill top: To ask Her Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of how many children of the Windrush generation who had been in local authority care now have an uncertain legal residency status; and what steps they are taking to clarify the status of such people.

baroness williams of trafford: Information about children of the Windrush generation who had been in local authority care is not automatically reported to the Home Office.We are fully committed to helping all members of the Windrush generation who have faced difficulties to evidence their status in the UK and are making that process as straightforward as possible. A dedicated Home Office taskforce has been set up to help them and other long-term residents to evidence their right to be in the UK and to access the necessary services and benefits. Individuals can contact the Home Office, by telephone on 0800 678 1925 or by emailing commonwealthtaskforce@homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk.We have also put in place additional protection for landlords, employers and others conducting checks in order to ensure we are not denying work, housing, benefits and services to Commonwealth migrants who have been long-term residents of the UK.

UK Border Force: Recruitment

baroness hayter of kentish town: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the 300 additional Border Force staff they announced were to be recruited to relieve existing staff for training for post Brexit demands are in addition to the other announced increase of 1,000 new Border Force staff.

baroness williams of trafford: As part of our preparations Border Force is recruiting 300 frontline officers to allow existing staff to be trained in new requirements ahead of EU Exit.This is separate from the recruitment of up to 1,000 Border Force officers, which is to meet a range of business needs, including meeting the normal staff turnover associated with a large operational business such as Border Force. It will also support Border Force to respond flexibly to emerging requirements, including any future requirements as a result of EU Exit. Operational units across the Home Office actively monitor workflows to ensure sufficient resources are in place to meet demand and will continue to do so throughout negotiations and as the UK leaves the EU.

Immigration: Windrush Generation

lord ouseley: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the definition of the Windrush generationthey use will be expanded to include those who joined their parents, grandparents andsiblings after 1973.

lord ouseley: To ask Her Majesty's Government why the descendants of the Windrush generation have been detained, threatened with deportation and denied their right to work.

baroness williams of trafford: The Windrush scheme, which was launched on 30 May, makes specific provision for the children of Commonwealth citizens who were settled in the UK before 1 January 1973 where the child was born in the UK or arrived in the UK before the age of 18. This will ensure that those affected or who have encountered difficulties have the documents to confirm their status in the UK.The Department is carrying out a review of all removals, deportations and detentions, dating back to 2002 when electronic record-keeping began, of Caribbean Commonwealth nationals now aged over 45, those old enough to have been settled here before 1973 and therefore protected by the 1971 Act and the Home Secretary has agreed to report on these findings in due course.In relation to those who have may lost jobs - information that is not automatically reported back to the Home Office - we anticipate that we will gain a greater understanding when we launch our compensation scheme.

Immigration

lord taylor of warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether changes to the number of years of residence in the UK that are required before applying for permanent settlement under European Community Association Agreement (ECAA) visa regulations, introduced on 15 June, will apply to ECAA visa holders already in the UK.

baroness williams of trafford: The Home Office has announced new Immigration Rules to enable Turkish nationals who are in the UK as either European Communities Association Agreement (ECAA) business persons or ECAA workers, as well as their family members, to apply for indefinite leave to remain. All ECAA business persons, workers and their family members who meet the relevant conditions will be eligible, including those who are already in the UK.

Department for International Trade

Trade Agreements

lord alton of liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether trade deals in which the UK is partner are conditional on other signatories ensuring the rights of minorities in their countries; and if not, why not.

baroness fairhead: The UK has long supported the promotion of our values globally.The EU has included provisions protecting human rights within their trade and political agreements with partner countries. EU Free Trade Agreements (FTA) with developed countries since the EU-South Korea FTA have also included references to the International Labour Organization (ILO) fundamental conventions which provide for the elimination of discrimination at work.Additionally, the EU’s GSP+ scheme provides enhanced tariff preferences to economically vulnerable developing countries which are effectively implementing 27 international conventions, including on racial and gender discrimination.

Import Duties: USA

lord higgins: To ask Her Majesty's Government to what extent they were involved in the EU decision to impose retaliatory tariffs on imports of United States products into the UK; whether they supported that decision; and what estimate they have made of the effect ofsuch tariffs on consumer prices in the UK.

baroness fairhead: We are deeply disappointed that the US has taken this unjustified decision, particularly on grounds of national security. These unilateral trade measures have weak foundations in international law, and they are not consistent with the US Department of Defence’s own judgment in an investigation that was conducted on the basis of national security.The UK has been involved throughout EU discussions on addressing the potential trade imbalances that these measures could create. The Government supported these measures in the Trade Barriers Committee on 14 June, alongside all other Member States.It is not possible at this stage to estimate accurately the effect of these tariffs on consumer prices. Countermeasure tariffs will make imports of these products from the US more expensive for consumers and user industries, however US businesses may choose to absorb the cost of increased tariffs rather than pass them onto consumers. This could induce consumers and users to switch to alternative suppliers or reduce their consumption. This would reduce US exports of these products to the EU and UK.

Women and Equalities

Females: Muslims

baroness uddin: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of whether, and if so why, Muslim women are not progressing at the same rate as non-Muslim women in economic engagement and employment.

baroness williams of trafford: The Race Disparity Audit, published in October 2017, revealed an unemployment gap between BME and White people. The Prime Minister committed local and national government to “explain or change” the disparities. We are committed to increasing BME employment by 20 per cent by 2020. We have made substantial progress, and we are now 71% towards this target.

Gender Recognition

baroness jones of moulsecoomb: To ask Her Majesty's Government when they expect to (1) conclude, and (2) publish their review of the Gender Recognition Act 2004; and what consideration they are giving, if any, to legal recognition for non-binary genders.

baroness williams of trafford: The public consultation on reforming the Gender Recognition Act 2004 opened on 3 July 2018. The consultation is running for sixteen weeks, closing on 19 October, at which point the Government will consider the contributions received and prepare its response. As part of the consultation, we are asking a question about whether respondents think there should be changes to the provisions of the Gender Recognition Act to accommodate people who identify as non-binary. This will enable us to build our evidence base further on the issues facing non-binary people.

Civil Partnerships: Heterosexuality

lord kennedy of southwark: To ask Her Majesty's Government, following the decision of the Supreme Court in the case of R (on the application of Steinfeld and Keidan) (Appellants) v Secretary of State for International Development (in substitution for the Home Secretary and the Education Secretary) (Respondent), whether they intend to bring forward legislation to change the law in respect of civil partnerships;and if so, when.

baroness williams of trafford: The Government has committed to undertake further work to inform a decision on civil partnerships and will consider carefully the various options for this, including legislation. We set out our plans in ‘The Future Operation of Civil Partnership: Gathering Further Information’ command paper, published on 10 May.We will keep those plans under review in light of the recent Supreme Court judgment.

Females: Directors

lord kennedy of southwark: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the progress being made by companies in appointing more women to company boards.

baroness williams of trafford: Mid-year figures for the Hampton-Alexander Review released last Wednesday showed that 29% of all FTSE 100 board positions are now held by women, an increase from 12.5% in 2011. There are now no all-male boards in the FTSE 100, down from 21 in 2010. While FTSE 100 firms are on track to meet their target, FTSE 250 firms need to take action to address their slow progress which includes 10 all-male boards.The Review has now launched an online portal for all FTSE 350 companies to submit wider female leadership data. This will track progress against 2017’s extended targets for 33% of women across the Executive Committee and their Direct Reports, helping to ensure there is a sustainable pipeline of women for FTSE 350 board roles.